Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which includes the use of acupuncture, moxibustion, herbal medicine, tui-na bodywork, and diet therapy, has been in use for close to 3,000 years. It is an ancient science, yet its theories and treatments are just as relevant to modern health as ever.
In TCM, health and illness are described in terms of the relationships between certain substances and functions within the body. Put simply, yin’s cooling, nourishing substances balance yang’s vital energy, movement, and warmth. A person’s health is assessed according to all symptoms experienced, including mental, emotional and physical. With the information gathered, a symptom pattern is diagnosed, and treatment addresses both the root imbalance(s) and branch symptom(s).
It is said in TCM that, “men pertain to yang and women pertain to yin”. A woman’s body, due to menstruation and the demands of nourishing a child while pregnant, has an increased reliance on blood and yin.
Reproductive health in women depends primarily on the energetic function of the kidneys, liver, and spleen. These energetic organs differ in function from the anatomical organs of western medicine.
The kidneys store prenatal essence, or “jing” and govern growth, development, and reproduction.
The liver stores blood, moves blood during menstruation, regulates flow of qi in the body, and keeps a balanced emotional state.
The spleen, which is the main digestive organ in Chinese medicine, produces qi and blood from the food we eat and ensures that blood flows within its normal pathways.
An imbalance in the functioning of these organs can lead to reproductive disorders in women and discomforts during pregnancy and birth. It is a good idea for women planning on becoming pregnant to address any current irregularities in menstruation before conceiving, as doing so may help avoid discomforts during her pregnancy.
Once pregnant, a woman’s physiology shifts. Menstruation stops, causing qi and blood to accumulate in the uterus. As a result, the spleen is under greater demand to produce and supply blood and qi to help secure her pregnancy. The kidney lends its yin and essence to the development of the fetus and the liver blood nourishes the uterus.
Later in pregnancy, “heat” in the body becomes common. This is due, in part, to the enlarged uterus causing unavoidable stagnation of qi and blood. There is also less yin and blood available for the rest of the body, causing a relative excess of yang. This also manifests as symptoms of heat.
“Heat” in the body can be experienced as feeling warmer or having excessive thirst, irritability, flushing, insomnia, anxiety, hypertension, night sweats, heartburn, or constipation.
“Qi and blood stagnation” may cause symptoms such as pain, numbness, swelling, varicosities, reflux, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, or mental depression.
A root cause of both “heat” and stagnation is often “qi and blood deficiency” which can also cause fatigue.
Acupuncture uses points along the body’s channels to regulate and boost the function of these energetic organs, thus bringing relief of these symptoms. Also, by resting more and eating easily digested, nourishing foods, a woman supports her increased need for reserves of qi and blood. By maintaining moderate exercise and lowering her stress level, she helps her body to circulate qi and blood efficiently.
In addition to treating pregnancy related discomforts, TCM offers preventive and supportive measures for mother and baby during and after pregnancy. Inter-trimester treatments or “happy baby” treatments are believed to promote the health of the fetus as it develops and offer an opportunity for a woman to resolve any current discomforts so that the next phase of her pregnancy may be as healthy and enjoyable as possible.
Late in pregnancy, if a baby is found to be in a breech or other unfavorable presentation for birth, the use of acupuncture or moxibustion on a point on the small toe offers exceptionally good results in turning the baby. In a study designed to check for stress in the baby during this procedure, no negative effects were found and no uterine contractions were recorded. This treatment is often recommended by midwives and can prevent more uncomfortable and risky methods of turning the baby.
Beginning in week 36 to 37, birth preparation treatments are recommended to help the uterus and cervix become ready for birth. These treatments involve using acupuncture on points that nourish qi and blood and that move qi and blood in the uterus. Studies have found these treatments to be helpful in ripening and dilating the cervix before labor begins, thus shortening the amount of time spent in labor (especially in first time mothers) and aiding in efficient contractions during labor. All of these effects result in a less stressful, more natural childbirth, with less medical intervention.
If a woman has not begun labor by her due date, acupuncture treatments may be performed that encourage labor to begin. Often, a woman will begin spontaneous labor after just a few daily treatments and can avoid medical induction altogether. Even if medical induction is used, previous acupuncture treatment can facilitate efficient labor, making further medical intervention unnecessary.
Acupuncture is widely known for its use in pain management and can be used effectively as a natural analgesia during labor for women wishing to have a natural birth. Women using acupuncture during labor have reported a decrease in pain during contractions and less use of pain medication, resulting in a satisfying birth experience. Acupressure can be taught to the birth partner and has similar benefits.
From the effort of birth, a woman has used a significant amount of qi and blood, even with a relatively short and uncomplicated labor. After approximately three days, post partum treatments called “mother warming” are used. These treatments consist of using moxibustion on points on the lower abdomen and back to aid healing, relieve soreness, help tone the uterus, and most importantly to help the new mother feel more rejuvenated and ready to begin her new role as mom.